A New Factor in the Blood of Patients with Peptic Ulcer

Previous work on a factor in the blood of patients with peptic ulcer which contracts smooth muscle was confirmed and the work extended to investigation of the activity of blood fractions. Whole heparinized blood and its fractions were tested on a strip of guinea pig ileum and height of contraction and latent period were used as criteria of activity. Whole heparinized blood of ulcer patients had significantly higher activity than that of normal controls. Differences between the fractions of ulcer patients and controls were less significant. With the lysed buffy coat, however, while the differences between the height of contraction between the groups did not differ statistically, the speed of the reaction (shorter latent period) was significantly greater in the ulcer patients. The cellular alterations causing this response are unknown.     

Perinatal Mortality in Infants of Two Different Ethnic Groups

Jefferson T O (Cambridge Military Hospital, Aldershot, Hampshire),and Taylor V M. Perinatal mortality in infants of two differentethnic groups. Family Practice 1985; 2: 175–176. In a retrospective survey of l433 Chinese and ll30 Gurkha(Nepali)births in an Armed Services environment in Hong Kong, neonatalmortality rates were analysed according to birthweight. The data thus obtained were compared with similar data frompublished surveys with the aim of ascertaining any differencesin mortality rates.     

A denture identification program for nursing home residents

Editor's note: This brief paper describes a simple, yet important procedure that brings students into meaningful contact with elderly patients in a nursing home environment. It is most important that students be afforded opportunity for exposure to living conditions and care facilities for the elderly. Readers are invited to express their thoughts (not necessarily about denture identification techniques).